MY Favourite Beaches in North Lebanon

Driving back to Tripoli from Beirut on weekends, I alwaYs notice how beautiful the coastline gets as I near home, and how it especiallY calls out to me right after I exit the tunnel in Chekka and drive further North. When You take a closer look along that coast, You’ll see that it’s lined with a haven of special spots for sea lovers of all kinds. This summer, I made it a point to visit as manY of those different beach spots as I could, and with a little help from Instagram, I ended up discovering places that made me fall even more in love with mY North!

Let’s start with Batroun, a citY just before the infamous tunnel leading North. It’s home to Pierre and Friends, which also doubles as a pub and restaurant. I've known the place for a good ten Years now, ever since high school, and what I love most about it is its verY laid-back and chill atmosphere. But mY favourite reason to love it, are it's incredible sunsets, behold:

Not too far down that coast, is another gem of a spot: White Beach. Like P&F, it's also got a pebblY shore but the water is cool and it's got a mini rockY island in the middle of the sea with a Lebanese Flag proudlY poled to it. White Beach is also a surf school, and You can alwaYs catch windsurfers in the waters. 

Kfaraabida (the area between Batroun & Chekka) is trulY one of the best locations I got to discover this summer, especiallY after the #SaveKfaraabida Campaign, that was launched to raise awareness about the recent project that aims to turn the area into a private Yacht Club. But for me to describe to You how incredible the area is in just words, I’d be doing it no justice... 

One of MY favourite spots there is Joining Beach. And to be honest, if I hadn't come across a few pictures of it on Instagram and known where to look, I'd have missed it completelY! All You can see from the road is a sign that reads "Joining" in Arabic. And even standing from the edge, You'd never have thought it to be an actual beach spot. It's 100% comprised of rocks, most of which is downwards slanting, not a verY comfortable place to laY down and tan (though a lot of people do) but the reason I loved it was because of everYthing that was underneath those rocks! It's also a great spot for cliff diving, and once You're under that water, You'll see an entirelY different world down there!

But if You want to swim awaY from all the rocks and pebbled beaches, then You've got to take that tunnel in Chekka and You'll end up in El-Herri. And here's a little secret: If You're willing to make a little detour on Your waY, if You take Your first exit after the tunnel and head up, You'll end up at the monasterY of Our LadY of Light (SaYdet El Nourieh) where You can catch a breathtaking view of the sea from up above:

Of course You've got the most famous in the area: Florida Beach, but You've also got an endless collection of smaller beaches that include BennY Beach, SandY Beach, and mY personal favourite: MiraLand. I love the latter because of its huge sandY shore. It's also one of mY favourite spots to rent a paddle-board (haské) and row it out to the sea. The water is usuallY calm and just knowing that a holY place rests in the cliff above You gives You a magical kind of feeling...

After Chekka comes a little area known as Anfeh. And boY has it ever grown in popularitY this summer! You’ve got the most well-known beach resort in the area, Las Salinas, and the slightlY less popular, Marina Del Sol. But right adjacent to those two, is the now-popular Ta7t El Ri7, which is comprised of a collection of private chalets on a rockY cliff that is open to the public. The location has been painted in white and blue, reflecting Santorini-like vibes and nicknamed Anforini. All You’ve got to do is dive in! 

FinallY, it's back to mY hometown, Tripoli. If You want to talk beach resorts in the area, You’ve got the big three: Palma, Naji, & Miramar (in Kalamoun). Each resort has got it’s own charm, and nice beaches (& pools) to swim in. 

But if You reallY want the best beach experience ever, take a boat (for as little as LBP 5,000) from Mina's Port out to Rabbits Island!

El Mina is home to nine islands, four of which have been declared as nature reserves, the most popular of which is Palm Island (better known as Rabbits Island). It’s the second largest of the islands with a beautiful sandY shore and crYstal clear blue waters. 

You’ll want to make a full daY trip out of this one. You’ll need to pack some snacks and drinks to take with You as there's no food on the islands, and an umbrella for shade if You need one. Nothing beats a breakfast here (preferablY a man2ouché):

While I've listed some of mY favourite Beaches in North Lebanon, I'm sure there are still a lot of more secret spots to discover! If You'd like to share, please leave a comment!

Vote For Jeita Grotto

Two days ago, I received this text message: ‘Vote for Jeita. Send the word “Jeita” to 1070. The Ministry of Tourism is offering this SMS free of charge, however a cost of 10 cents will be charged by the organizers of the New Seven Wonders Competition.’

And since then, there’s been a lot of online buzz about it. I got BBM broadcasts, Facebook posts, and I’ve read several blog posts about the matter (some for, and shockingly, some against!). So I thought I’d step in with my two cents: Vote for Jeita!

Because by voting for Jeita, you’re voting for Lebanon! You’re not voting for a person or a political party or anything that has a possibility of disappointing you. No, you’re voting for a piece of your country, for a piece that belongs to you! And voting means giving your approval and your appreciation. And I do, and that’s why I vote for Jeita Grotto! Don’t You?

Only 20 more days remain till 11/11/11, the date of the winning announcement, so come on people, VOTE FOR JEITA as one of the the New7Wonders of Nature!

SAVE AYA

So, who is Aya? “_There happily lived a loving family in a below average home outside Beirut and they were blessed with a beautiful little girl called Aya… She was born with a dying liver… With the support of her family she decided to fight, and up until the age of 7, that worked…

Then Aya stopped going to school, afraid her deformities would scare her classmates. But deep down inside, they actually scared her, driving her to pull out clumps of her own hair in anguish…

AYA IS NOW 13 AND SHE HAS NO MORE FIGHT LEFT IN HER…

She has 5 months left to live unless she gets $50,000 for a liver transplant…”

To tell the truth, I first heard about the “Save Aya” campaign through Mind Soup back in mid-October. I read more on the official site and smiled for the running of a good cause. And then, I forgot about it. A couple of days ago, I was reminded of it again through Gino's tweet. And after reading his blog post, I thought “I CAN SAVE AYA TOO!” So without a second thought, I pulled out the donation information and sent an OPO for Aya…

Honestly, it’s through little posts and pictures like the ones found here that inspire you to make a difference. And just like Gino’s post inspired me to help, I hope this inspires some readers to help too…

You can Donate Online through Bank Audi, Offline through Banque Libano-Francaise (Hep Attitude Positive / IBAN LB 48 0010 0000 0000 0001 2291 8939), or if you’re in Beirut through donation boxes available at CashUnited ABC Achrafieh and City Mall…

Only 40 days are left! Spread the word, help save a life… :-)

LiveStrong

In the year 2006 while I was at a Nike store in Montreal, I came across a Live Strong wristband. I remember back in college, a lot of people I knew used to wear them, and so, knowing little what it was all about, I bought one and wore it too. But, like most things I quickly get into, I also quickly lost interest and took it off…

A couple of days ago at Toastmasters (see post below), four members from “Speakers & Leaders” came to visit us at “Loud Speakers”. One of the S&L members, who also happened to be the Toastmaster for the night, was wearing the long forgotten Live Strong wristband. And it brought back the memory…

So last night, I decided to find out what it really was all about:

"The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) is a United States nonprofit organization that provides support for people affected by cancer, founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong. The LAF states that its mission is to “inspire and empower” cancer sufferers…" – Wikipedia.

As of this moment, I know 3 people battling with cancer. I also know 2 people who have died because of it. None of them are or were that close to me, but in one way, they’ve affected me. And I’ve since decided to wear it again…